The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Some tools in assembly plants are mounted on rails or tracks that allow an operator to move the tool along that rail. Other tools are similarly attached to the rail by a lead line (e.g., an electric supply cable, a pneumatic supply cable, or a leash) that allows limited movement of the tool within a predetermined distance from the rail while being generally movable along the length of the rail. One such example is an electric torque driver used on a moving production line. The torque driver can have an electrical power lead that is coupled to a trolley that rolls along the rail within a preset length of the assembly line. The operator may need to use the tool at different locations within that preset length of the assembly line and may need to let go of the tool to perform other tasks. However, operators can have difficulty with the tool drifting out of position when the tool is not held by the operator. The tool can drift out of position due to tension in festooning, gravity, friction, wind, the operator bumping the tool, contact with the moving assembly line, or any number of events.
The issue of rail supported tooling drifting out of place in assembly lines has been ongoing. Some efforts have been made to address this problem, but these efforts typically involve a complex and costly mechanism that rigidly locks the tool in a single location until the operator deactivates the lock. Such locks suffer from a number of drawbacks including being complex and costly, having parts that wear down, or lacking adjustability of positioning and/or hold characteristics. These issues with tool positioning are addressed by the device present teachings.